- International Journal of Pure and Applied Zoology (2014) Volume 2, Issue 4

Evaluation of Antibacterial Potential of Honey Against Some Common Human Pathogens in North Gondar Zone of Ethiopia

The use of honey as a medicine has continued into present-day medicine. It has been shown that natural unheated honey has some broad-spectrum of antibacterial activity when tested against pathogenic bacteria. Different types of honey vary substantially in the potency of their antibacterial activity. The objective of this study is to evaluate the variations in the antibacterial potential of honey derived from North Gondar Zone against bacterial species commonly causing disease in human. Honeys were obtained from four districts of North Gondar Zone such as Chilga, Dembia, Debark and Gondar Zuria. The antibacterial potential of these honeys were assayed against five bacterial species (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi and Klebsiella pneumonia) using different concentrations (10v/v, 20v/v, 40v/v, 80v/v, and the undiluted honey). The standard disc diffusion methods were entertained. Undiluted and two-fold serial dilutions of honeys were tested to determine MIC using broth tube dilution methods through visual inspection and MBC were determined by sub culturing tubes showing no visible sign of growth/turbidity in MIC. Results showed that the zones of inhibition ranged from 0-21mm and honey from Gondar Zuria showed the highest antibacterial activity. There was a noticeable variation in the antibacterial potential of honeys at different concentrations (6.25-100%). All collections of honeys showed varied bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities and none of the honeys produced any effect on Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Author(s): Mohammed Ahmed, Samuel Sahile and C. Subramanian

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